First Two Weeks in Bolivia

After concluding our Moroccan month in Casablanca with a soccer match and great final meals, we headed north to Spain for the night. Then to Peru and finally to Bolivia. Within 3 days we were on 4 continents, in 4 time zones, and at 4 airports, and you could see the absence of sleep apparent on everyone’s faces. As our bus crept from the airport to the hotel in La Paz at 4am, I saw glimpses of the city. For the next couple days, illness had us stranded inside the hotel, with great quinoa, yucca, potatoes and plantains. This weekend we drove up to Lake Titicaca and I got an overview of my surroundings, but it was not until this morning until I fully walked around La Paz and explored a bit. The cobble stone streets were steep and slippery. And every store had alpaca sweaters, alpaca stuffed animals and printed backpacks and scarves. It was nice to see a different market style from the Vietnamese streets or Moroccan medinas. La Paz offers quite the contrast.

This weekend I had the opportunity to go out on a boat on Lake Titicaca. It was one of the most incredible places I have ever been. I think it must have been my favorite place I have been on the trip thus far. There was something magical about the blue water of the lake and Incan Ruins and green scenery on one side and snowy mountains on the other. I sat on the back of the boat and the sun was beating down. Because Bolivia is close to the equator, the sun has very high intensity here. We went to Isla de Sol, island of the sun, where ancient Incans worshipped the sun and we went to island of the moon, which had remnants from the 13^th century. The climatic conditions of the lake allow for vegetation to exist there although, technically, the altitude of 12,000 ft prevents vegetation from flourishing. Everything was peaceful and tranquil. Everywhere I turned it looked like a compilation of photos that would line the pages of National Geographic.

Tomorrow I am moving into my homestay family for three weeks. This will be the first time all trip I have been stationary for more than 7 days. After that, we head to the Amazon. Things are going faster and my semester is wrapping up and summer is getting closer.